The Invention relates to air conditioning and in particular to the air conditioning of individual rooms in multiple occupancy buildings such as hotels or the like. Such conditioning may be to heat or cool the room or otherwise provide comfort.
In one popular installation an air conditioning unit is fitted in the ceiling of the lobby of each hotel bedroom. This location is chosen because the unit does not obstruct other equipment and does not take up usable wall space. The unit is made up of separate components such as a fan motor; cooling unit; and the like. These units will need treatment from time to time; for example the air filter will need to be cleaned or replaced when it is clogged with dust particles. Components will fail from time to time and when that happens a service engineer must visit to identify the defect and organise a repair or replacement. Until that happens the hotel management may well refuse to allow the bedroom to be occupied by a guest which is a loss of revenue to the hotel. Even when the service engineer comes to the hotel the room may be occupied by a guest, so the engineer may have to loiter until he can gain access. Even when he can inspect the installation he will need considerable skill because the components are unlikely to be easily accessible.
It is a first object of this invention to provide an air conditioning unit which will offer the hotel management considerable economic advantages. It is a second object to provide such a unit which is easily repaired so cutting down the time required by the service engineer to make and complete his visit. A third object of the invention is to provide such a unit incorporating diagnostic means so that repair and replacement may be carried out before there is an emergency allowing the service engineer to visit in ordinary working hours and by pre-arrangement
The invention is based on the realisation that it is advantageous to monitor the condition of each component in the unit in the individual room, so that intelligent information can be derived therefrom. The second realisation is that each component should be made individually accessible (and preferably removable) with ease.
According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a multi-room building, each room having an air conditioning unit for controlling the environment therein, the unit comprising components comprising:
fan means;
circuit means containing water;
a condensation collection unit;
air filter means; and
process logic means arranged to monitor the condition of one component
characterised in that the unit is mounted in the ceiling of the room, the unit comprising a housing containing the components and the process logic means the housing having a door through which there is access to the components and process logic means, each component being independently releasably mounted in the housing whereby each is individually replaceable.
It is known to monitor the condition of the components of an air conditioning unit from, for example EP 0453302A and EP 0706015A. It is also known from JP 59122829A to compare the actual rotational speed of a fan of an air conditioning unit with predetermined values and to use the sensed information to decide whether or not the associated filter is sufficiently dirty to need to be replaced.
Preferably the process logic means is arranged to monitor the speed of rotation of a rotary fan, and derive from that sensed information the level of contamination of the filter means.
Depending on the location of the building the occupant may want to heat and/or cool the room (as in Northern climates) or just to cool it, as in the Middle East. The circuit containing water may thus be a heating circuit or a cooling circuit; both may be present in one unit.
In another aspect there is provided a unit for conditioning a room in a multi-room building, the unit containing components comprising:
fan means;
a heating circuit containing circulating hot water;
a cooling circuit containing circulating cooling water;
a condensation collection unit; and
process logic control means arranged to monitor the condition of each component and to activate an alarm in the event that the condition of any component deviates from a predetermined status.
In yet another aspect the unit is mounted in the ceiling of a lobby of a hotel bedroom, and access to the unit is by means of a hinged door, and the process logic means is mounted in a drop down frame therefor, whereby the process logic means is accessible when the door is open.
Preferably the control means is arranged to check the function of components of the unit and to provide an alert or alarm signal in the event of a failure or need for a replacement. Such components include a variable speed motorised fan, a transformer for varying the voltage supplied to the motor for the fan, a heat exchanger and an air filter. Most preferably the control means is arranged to signal a malfunction at a remote location, so that unnecessary site visits are avoided.
Within the housing behind the fan device there is a heating coil, together with a damper device and this assembly is used to control the level of heating on demand. A cooling coil and damper assembly which operates in much the same way is also present.
The unit includes a heat exchanger of a suitable design. Preferably the coils are arranged for multi-circuit operation.
The unit may include a condenser drain pan or drip tray having a lift pump.
The air filter may be made of metal or natural or synthetic fibre. This will need cleaning or replacement from time to time.
The controls preferably comprise:
an air sensor fitted in the return air stream to ensure that the true room air temperature is sensed and then to provide a signal to the controller in collaboration with a room dial plate to drive an actuator to modulate damper means present in the unit to maintain the pre-set air temperature;
diagnostic circuits to sense and activate e.g. sound an alarm signal in the event of a failure or threatened failure for one or more of the following components:
fan motor
transformer
filter element
level of water in the condenser tray, and
when room window is open
when the room door is open
when the access panel is open
The controls may be provided with LEDs to be lit up when there is a problem, e.g. to be noticed by a maid or hotel guest who will then ask the management to call a service engineer. An advantage of the invention is that the signal may be connected by wire to a central location.
In another aspect there is provided a unit for heating or cooling a room in a building as defined, the unit including fan means and a condensation tray to collect condensate formed in use of the unit, the unit being adapted to be suspended in the ceiling by rod means depending from the overlying structure and passing through holes in the bounds of the housing including adjustment means for mounting the unit in an assigned area in the ceiling and locating the unit generally horizontal for collection of condensate in the condensation tray by gravity.